New Mexico Hunting and Fishing Licences for Veterans and Service Members

The Department of Game and Fish became the Department of Wildlife under Senate Bill 5 of 2025, and the statutes now print both names. Free for life at 100 percent. Section 17-3-13.1 requires the director to issue, once and for life, a free general hunting and fishing licence to "any resident who was one hundred percent disabled as a result of having served in the armed forces". The Department's 2026-2027 rules booklet describes it as a Disabled Veteran Card that lets the holder fish, hunt small game and get a deer licence free when drawn or with a landowner's written permission, applied for each year; no habitat stamp or habitat management and access validation is needed. Apply through the Department of Veterans' Services with the Department's application, the DD-214 and the VA benefit summary letter. $10 at any rating. Section 17-3-13 prices the "Resident, disabled veteran, fishing and game hunting combination" licence at $10. The booklet opens it to residents "who are disabled veterans of the U.S. military, but do not meet the 100% disabled qualification", and the Department of Veterans' Services says "no matter what percentage their disability". Show the VA award letter. Half price for every resident veteran. Section 17-3-2, subsection P, added in 2015: a resident "who is a veteran of the United States military or who is active duty military is eligible for a fifty percent discount on any license, permit or stamp purchase". The Department applies it to honourably discharged veterans and excludes application, vendor, administrative and duplicate fees, the federal duck stamp and the $10 disabled veteran licence. The Army benefits library adds a 90-day active duty or six-year reserve minimum that the statute does not state. Draws. The booklet lists a once-in-a-lifetime oryx hunt on White Sands Missile Range for resident veterans, a no-fee special oryx draw for injured service members and veterans rated 50 percent or more, pronghorn draws on Melrose Air Force Range for resident Purple Heart recipients and active duty members stationed in New Mexico, and active duty only hunts on McGregor Range. Nonresidents in rehabilitation. Section 17-3-13.7 lets a nonresident disabled active duty member or veteran in a federally sponsored hunting rehabilitation programme buy deer, antelope, elk, javelina, turkey and oryx licences at resident fees, and section 17-3-13.6 gives a free fishing licence to a disabled member or veteran in a fishing rehabilitation programme. A benefit that no longer exists. The Department of Veterans' Services' benefits page still offers a "Temporary Hunting and Fishing License for Active-Duty". The 2015 amendment to section 17-3-2 deleted the military licence and replaced it with the 50 percent discount from April 1, 2016. Deployed members. Section 20-1-8 gives a resident Guard or armed forces member deployed on a call-up a free game hunting and fishing licence for the year after returning to the state.